Ooops2
by Babs
Summary: If any of you remember me, I'll be shocked. BUt in case there are a few, after so long I have updated with a short catch up chapter. Please R/R I'll only add more if people really want to read this.
1. Here we go again!

Okay, I said it before and I'll say it again, I do not own anything of Shannara or LotR. Thanks for the reviews and I hope you enjoy Book 2. Thanks for the ideas, Skie!

Clouds licked at the yellow moon as Rash ran in the shadows of the tree line. He had decided to stay in the Lothlorien. He had thought to stay there and live out the rest of his years. The elves had left and he was alone. The attack was almost immediate.

He stopped gasping for breath. He leaned into the darkness, his outline disappearing completely into the shadows.

He was still being followed. He could feel the shadowen that hunted him. Rimmer Dal would know of his betrayal and he obviously was not happy with it. 

Rash stuck his head out of the line of shadows and looked around. The coast was clear. He had to reach Meia! Even in a separate body, they were bonded and if they got to her first . . . or if they killed him . . . either way Rimmer Dal would weaken the other.

He would not let that happen, not after what Dal put him through!

With new strength infused in him, Rash broke out of the shadows and ran for the small presence he knew was Meia.

**********************************************************************

They had traveled far that day on foot. The only one that argued was Gimli. The dwarf made his point most vividly that dwarves did not run long distances. Brom didn't complain. He didn't even speak. This worried Aragorn to no end. The boy was now under his wing, was now his 'son'. What could be done?

They all stopped under a large pine tree and broke out the water flasks and _lembadas. _(a/N Please forgive me for my horrible spelling, it those little elf cake waifer things and I don't own any of the books so I'm sorry)

__

"Brom, come eat," Aragorn called to the silver boy who still walked on. Brom did not stop, he kept walking. "Brom! I said come eat,"

Still the boy walked on. Aragorn gave a growl and laboriously got to his feet. He marched over to the boy who had stopped near a large boulder. "Brom, what are you-" Aragorn's voice trailed off. 

Behind the boulder was a woman. She couldn't be older than Meia, she was hunched and twisted, her skin mottled and grey.

"What is it?" Aragorn asked in disgust. His voice caught the woman's attention and she looked up at Aragorn with large black eyes.

"She was human, or elf," Brom said bitterly and unsheathed the Sword of Shannara, "She's a shadowen now," Brom lifted the sword high to lop off the woman's head. Her large eyes became full with fear and they locked with Aragorn's and he cried out with what he saw.

"Brom, STOP!!" Aragorn shouted as the boy brought the sword down. Aragorn shoved the boy aside and dropped to his knees. He couldn't believe what he beheld.

"Arwen, my evenstar, what happened to you?" He breathed, taking her in his arms.

Brom stared at Aragorn in surprise as the ranger in surprise as he petted the woman's long black hair.

"Aragorn," She sobbed, "I knew you'd recognize me," 

"What happened, Arwen, tell me," Aragorn demanded, shaking the once elf slightly as Gimli and Legolas came up.

"Attack," She choked , "Rivendell was attacked by Shadowen. The new strangers tried to hold them back but . . . " She gasped as if she were in deep pain, " Most of the elves fled, but many were infected. I was infected,"

"And Elrond?"

"Father, he is a prisoner,"

"Who did this?" Aragorn demanded as she writhed in his arms.

"Dal, Dal did it," She whispered. 

Suddenly Arwen ripped out of Aragorn's arms screaming in Elvish. She writhed on the ground and ripped at her flesh. 

"Aragorn," Brom frowned, "the shadowen is taking over her body. If you don't kill her now, it will utterly consume,"

"No! No one is killing anyone, there must be a way to draw out the Shadowen!"

"Not unless you want to draw the Shadowen into your own body!" Brom shouted 

"I will if I have to! I will not allow you to kill her!"

"There is no other way!!" The boy frowned.

"Meia found a way," Aragorn growled, taking the still writhing Arwen into is arms. "I will find a cure, accept it," He said and stared into Brom's black eyes.

Brom stared back, his eyes just as venomous. He knew the result of a shadowen infection, he had seen dozens, the only reason Meia survived was because she played god. 

"You only prolong her suffering and your own, the shadowen will overcome her. Meia only survived because she a an elfstone. All of those were left back in the Four Lands, but," Brom sheathed the Sword of Shannara, "I promised Father I would mind you. You want to kill her, go ahead," 

Legolas and Gimli watched in disbelief as Aragorn ripped pieces of his cloak and bound and gagged Arwen, asking her to forgive him as he slung her over his shoulder. 

"Come on, the halflings' trail is getting cold," Aragorn frowned and with shaking heads of disbelief the company followed. 


	2. yess, my preciouss

A figure crawled out of the river, dragging a body onto the banks.

"Again, again we pulls it out of rubbles," Gollum growled at the motionless body. He sniffed it over. "Its does not stink of elveses, now," He gave it a sharp poke and jumped back. It didn't move. Slowly he moved toward it again, "Where did it come from, my Precious?" 

"OOoooohh!" It moan and rolled on its side, facing Gollum. Its pink mouth fell open and water pour from its lips as it coughed and hacked, trying to breath. Gollum watched with shining eyes. Something about the creature's soft form intrigued him. He had not seen this form for a long time (unless you include goblins). The form of a female. He crept forward and touched its long, long, soft, wet hair. "Frodo," it rasped in a fragile voice, " Why didn't you see me? Curse your blue eyes, Baggins," It hacked before lapsing back into silence. 

"BAGGINS!" Gollum hissed, its eyes glowing a bright green. With a webbed foot, he rolled her on her back, "Where is the Baggins?? We hates the Baggins!!!" She didn't answer, her head lolled limply on the ground. "It tries to be tricksy, so we'll leave it alone, gollum, well we'll be even tricksier. Carry it till it speaks, yes, my precious!"

Gollum grabbed the girl underneath her arms and placed it on his back, securing it with an arm. Then it dove into the water, although it was a bit slower with the extra weight, Gollum swam fluidly through the water.

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"Oh, oooh, my head. 'Lanon, are we still in Middle-Earth?" I moaned sitting up. When I opened my eyes I saw two bulging eyes, gaping mouth, scaly skin. "FISH!" I yelped in surprise and fell back on my rump.

"Yess, fishess, good for eggses," Hissed the creature in front of me. Compared to it, the fish looked like a silver god. "Good for eggses in tummy," It crawled to me in a very frog fashion and placed it balding grey head against my stomach. If I wasn't so weak from hunger and being half-drowned I would have hit it. Instead I tried not to blanch. The thing placed its huge, tapered ear right above my navel and cooed, "Good eggses, gollum, Precious knows you're there. You are part of the precious, like poor old Smeagol," He rocked back on his heels with strangled laughter like it had forgotten how. "Now we eates fishes," It held out a fish to me and dove into its own,. When I gagged it lifted its face from the fish, meat hanging from its teeth and lips and blood dribbling down its chin. "What'ss wrong??"

"I usually like to know my grocer before I go eating his food," I said and the thing cocked its head. I sighed, "Who are you?"

The creature swallowed what little meat had actually gotten into its mouth and frowned. "What'ss wrong with fishes, gollum, Smeagol goes out and brings it food, drieses its clothes and draggs it out of nassty river away from orcss. Gollum, gollum, what'ss wrong??"

"Nothing, nothing!!" Meia said, afraid of getting the creature upset, "It's just that I don't have the same teeth and stomach like you, I have to have my fish cooked," Smeagol as he called himself, gave her a cold look and snatched the fish out of her hands and bit into it. "HEY!" Meia cried, her belly rumbling in protest, "I thought that was mine!"

"It didn't wants it," Smeagol said with an upturned nose. 

"I didn't want it raw, not that I didn't want to eat! There's a difference you know Smaugle,"

"Smeagle, is the precious's name!" It spat and bit again into the fish. 

"Fine!" I spat back and wobblingly got to my feet. I walk half a dozen steps when my knees gave out and my stomach roiled. I bowed my head and wretched. I must have been sick from being in that wretched cold water, I thought when Smeagle shoved a handful of herbs under my nose. 

"Eat, but don't swallow," It frowned. I frowned just as severely and stuffed the weedy herbs into my mouth and chewed them into a pasty, chalky pulp. They were tasteless, but did something to ease my angered stomach. 


	3. and the baby gets a name!

"Now it listens to Smeagol," The creature hissed, "Smeagol wants to know where the Baggins is!"

"The Baggins, Frodo? What do you want from Frodo!?" I demanded through the pulp in my mouth.

"Do not question us! Tell Smeagol where the Precious is!"

"The Precious!? Why is Frodo precious to you?" I Demanded when the thing hissed bitterly.

"We HATES the Baggins! WE HATES IT HATES IT HATES IT!!!!" It shrieked stamping its feet. That was too much for me, I spat out the chewy pulp out of my mouth and tried escaped but Smeagol was faster and stronger than I was. He gave a snarl and grabbed me.

"No, Smeagol no let it and its eggses leave us! Will stay and help us, yessss," It hissed in my face as I tried to escaped by twisting and turning and squirming.

"LET ME GO!!!" I screamed when the pocket next to my hip began to feel hot. It began to glow! Smeagol let me go, covering his face and hissing like mad cat. I reached into the pocket and pulled out the small orb that Galadriel gave me and then a voice was heard.

"Gollum, you foul creature, be gone before I do more than make elvish trinkets glow!!!" A being of glowing white seemed to have suddenly appeared from behind a tree. Gollum gave a hiss and scurried from sight. My legs gave out from under me and I tried to shield myself from the being. I had heard from the others only one man was donned in shining white. Saruman.

The man moved towards me, a long pointed hat on his head, the brim covering his face. Soon he was just inches in front of me and the orb clutched in my hand was horribly bright.

"Shhh, there, there, Lady Meia, I mean you no harm. Don't you know me?" He asked softly kneeling down and lifting up the brim of his hat. I burst into tears.

"GANDALF!!!" I sobbed and fell into the wizard's arms. "I had heard you died, I thought it was my fault! Oh, Gandalf I'm so sorry! Forgive me!"The orb rolled out of my hands as I clutched him around the neck. The wizard hugged me in return, rubbing my back slowly as my hiccups subsided.

"It was no one's fault but my own. I tried to use your powers before you were ready, but I think you are ready now, but now just a moment Lady," He looked me over, and brushed my hair out of my face to look deep into my eyes. He reminded me of Allanon then as he seemed to stare straight into my soul with his pale grey eyes. "Where is your parasite, Lady Meia?" Gandalf asked softly, "And it seems you've acquired something else," 

"I don't know what you mean," I said softly, "Rash is gone, Lady Galadriel gave him a body of his own, but I have nothing else except this ragged dress, my clothes, and the gifts she gave me,"

Gandalf turned in his crouching position and picked up the orb on that had fallen on the grass. "That orb, you made it glow, you said it yourself," 

"I was bluffing," Gandalf smiled, "A bit," The orb glowed dimly but when he handed it to me it shone brighter.

"Am I making it glow?" I asked and he shook his head, and held the orb against my belly where it shone like a star. "I'm hungrier than I thought," I mused.

"No, Lady Meia, its not you at all." He stared into my eyes, "Tell me, is the father Allanon?" I went white as a sheet then a flustered red.

"What are you talking about!?" I squeaked and he laughed.

"Lady Meia, surely you've felt it by now. Aren't you aware that your carrying a child?" As I gaped at him he continued, "It is your child that made the orb glow. It felt me and in response made it glow brighter. I felt the magic and came this way to see what was going on. If the Lady of the Wood gave you this she surely knew you would have a child that would manifest some sort of magic powers. Now who's the father?" I couldn't speak. I thought I would faint. The orb in my hand dulled in my hand and finally went out. "Lady Meia? Who is the father? This was a conception of your choice, right?"

"Of course!" I blurted out in anger to think he thought the baby was conceived by force, "Frodo would never do a thing like that!" And it was out. Gandalf positively beamed.

"A true halfling, a mixing of races, a new chance for man," He breathed his eyes sparkling, "Lady Meia, do you realize what you have created. Truly a child of peace and fortune, but- um- that will come later," He said hastily as if we were suddenly in a hurry. "I take it, the Lady gave you other gifts?" He asked and I nodded sadly.

"Oh, yes but they must be ruined, " I reached into my pocket to pull out the quill and parchment. They were in perfect condition other than being a bit wrinkled. "OH!" I gasped and Gandalf smiled.

"Thank you, Lady," Gandalf whispered to the wind and then turned back to me, " I need you to take this down." He smiled and I began to write on the parchment.

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It was morning before the two hobbits knew it. Frodo lied lazily in bed, his thoughts trouble and clouded. This was the last inn, they would now have to sleep outside and on the ground, but that wasn't the thought that bothered Frodo the most. 

He wondered about Meia and the baby, should he have brought her with him? _No, Mordor is no place for her and you don't know how long this trip could take, imagine her giving birth in the Cracks of Doom._ He thought bitterly. 

He didn't keep it secret though, he had told Sam. The gardener was absolutely thrilled and the first few days of their journey had been brightened by thinking of the baby, pondering names. They had had them chosen by the end of the third day, if Meia like them. If it was a girl they would name her Bodkin, a hobbit term of endearment, and if it was a boy they would name him Boady ("A sensible hobbit name, if I do say so myself," Sam had said when it came up.), and what Bag End would be like with patter of little feet. That's where the thinking was turned upside down in Frodo's head. 

After all, he knew Meia's past now. He knew she came from a different world. What if she wanted to go back, what if she didn't want to stay in Hobbiton or Middle-Earth for that matter. _Maybe she was right,_ Frodo thought, _Maybe we did move too fast._

If only he could see her just to now she was okay. He gave a sigh and turned on his side towards the wall and let out a yelp of surprise.

Sam was up and out of bed, his knife unsheathed when he heard his master's cry from the other side of the room. "What is it, Master Frodo?" The rounder hobbit asked hurrying to his master's side. Frodo sat up in bed, the sheets flung back and his eyes full of tears. "Master?" 

Sam sidled up to the bad and dropped his knife s his hands flew up to his mouth in surprise. There in the bed was Lady Meia. 


	4. Fangorn forest

"Nice, you did well, Saruman, for once," Rimmer Dal smiled as he walked through a marble hall, the white wizard at his side. Saruman didn't answer as he sagged heavily on his staff. The white wizard was looking thin and haggard. His skin once pale and bright was now dull and grey patches were showing on his face and hands. Slowly, but surely, his body was adapting to the shadowen. Soon they would be one, or the body would fail completely and he would die. Either way Rimmer Dal didn't care.

They had attacked Rivendell nearly two weeks prior and it had been entirely too easy. The elves didn't understand what the shadowen were and couldn't fight them even if they had a hundred Shannara swords. 

Dal had chosen the most capable elves and infested them with shadowen, save the elf king and the old hobbit. He wanted the king, Elrond, for bait, he had already set the lure, his pretty daughter, Arwen. He was sure she'd head straight for the Ranger and they in turn would come back here. It was a delayed message but Dal had already tried the direct approach with Meia. If she knew the others were in danger, she'd come running. Little did she know they would come too late.

He didn't infest the other because it was surely only a matter of short time before the hobbit would die of old age. That would just be a waste of a shadowen. He had the old hobbit locked up in the dungeon.

"_Master_," Hex whispered in Dal's ear. "_Master, its Rash,"_

"What is it, Hex? Did Romp destroy that traitor?"

"_ Master, I'm afraid its the opposite. Romp is dead. Rash destroyed him,"_

"**_WHAT!!!??!"_**

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Rash panted as he heaved the shadowen's body off of him. He stood up and unsheathed the sword from the Shadowen's chest. He looked around him at the carnage of bodies and the two shivering figures under a great tree.

"Well, are you going to tremble or are you going to thank me for saving your life?" He demanded. 

Rash had been tracking Meia but at the last moment felt the presence of the orc troop and took a detour. Dal wanted Meia and it had occurred to Rash that the reason Dal was tracking him was because he couldn't track Meia. So if Rash went to Meia to warn her then he would lead Dal straight to her! (A/N I hope you got all that!) Not to mention that the orc troop threw the Shadowen tracking him for a loop and with the distraction was able to destroy it. The orcs were a piece of cake and there were door prizes! "Master Meriodoc, Master Peregrin, its me, Rash," He frowned when the hobbits didn't advance toward him.

"We know," Merry squeaked and Pippin latched onto him. Rash leaned on the sword and frowned.

"If you don't get your furry rumps, I'll devour your essence," He growled. The two immediately ran over by him. They were shivering all over and watched him with huge shiny eyes.

"What would you have us do?" Asked Merry as Rash went around, quickly searching the corpses.

"Look for anything that would help us, and be careful, some of them may still be alive and dying," 

All they managed to gather was a couple of dirty blankets, and canteens of bad smelling water. Some had food but the bread was grey and the meat was odd. 

"Now what, Master Rash?" Pippin asked softly. Rash sighed and shouldered his pack and found a belt that fit around his naked waist so he could sheath his new sword.

"Now we go into the forest. It is old, very old, but I feel no malice here, nothing worse than me," The two hobbits eyed Rash doubtfully and the shadowen grew annoyed and clapped his hands together making the halflings nearly jumped out of their skin. "Now, HOP! unless you want more orcs on our tails!"

The two scurried furry and Rash followed close behind them, slinking in a cat like manner.

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Ridiculous! Brom thought heatedly in his head as he watched Aragorn tend the twisted Lady as she slept. She was worse now after nearly a week of tracking. 

Most of skin was mottled and grey save her hands which were still pure and white, her long, luxurious black hair was falling out in clumps and even though she got a larger ration with the others her body seemed contorted and shrunken. She had not been neither been unbound or had slept in nearly three days. Finally, she fell asleep out of exhaustion Aragorn unbound her wrists and gag and sat with her grey, mottled and balding head in her lap. 

"Master Brom," Legolas's voice rang softly in the pixie boy's ear but he did not stir. "Master Brom, are you awake?"

"Yes, I am awake," Brom answered softly. The elf sat himself next to Brom and leaned into a heavily scented wind. They were on the edge of Fangorn forest. They had found a dead orc troop and they stopped. Brom had been furious. They only stopped because Arwen had fallen asleep.

"Meia was thrown on the back of a pony after a shadowen attack and we pressed on. Arwen drops off to sleep and we stop!? We shall never find the halflings if you give the Shadowen the rest and fresh energy he craves! If you'd-"

Aragorn had enough. He struck the boy and the two starred each other down with tears in each others eyes. 

Now, Brom rubbed his tender cheek and Legolas sighed.

"You climb well, Brom, what brings you up into the embracing branches of this tree?" 

"I was thinking of Tay," Brom answered, "If he were in this forest, he could talk to the trees and we would know which way the halflings went," Legolas knew he lied. The elf petted Brom's silver stands and said softly, "You must forgive Aragorn. I know you strike him if Boromir had been stricken with the same-"

"DO NOT SPEAK OF MY FATHER IN SUCH A WAY!!!" Brom snapped, jumping up and standing upon a the branch with a nimbleness that made the elf jealous, "If my father had been infected I would have mercy-slain him as I would do to any!"

"And did you do the same to Lady Meia?" Legolas asked irritably, tired of the boy's moping and talk of mercy killing.

"I was too young to even try to lift the sword, but many tried. Risca, Tay, Bremen, even her beloved Allanon, tried. The only reason she's alive is because she wrote herself to safety," Brom spat and with tears in his eyes scaled down the tree and ran blindly into the forest.


	5. return of a wizard

On and on Brom ran. Tears blinded him, but he refused to let them escaped his eyes. His head throbbed and his throat ached. What had he done to deserve this? Perhaps he should have headed the words of Elrond and let the old hobbit, Bilbo, come in his stead. Brom caught a tree around the middle, hugging it tight and let the rough bark scratch his face.

"HOW COULD YOU LEAVE ME!?" Brom screamed to the aged air, but it was not Boromir he addressed, but his true father and mother. Still embracing the old shingled barks tree, he dropped to his knees, chunks of the bark fell into the folds of his clothes and into his hair. He didn't understand why his magic had been so important. He didn't understand why they had to sacrifice themselves for him and his magic. The only magic he had gained was to wield the Sword of Shannara, something any Ohmsford could do. "Any, but me," Brom whimpered. He stayed in his kneeling position for long moments, and then he lifted his head and looked around him. 

He was near a babbling brook where the grass was green and spongy. There were more breaks in the tree here and slivers of golden light illuminated the forest. He released the tree and dusted the bark from his clothes and hair, when a flash of light caught his eye. 

Brom turned his head to see a hill, golden with sunlight, and on that hill was a gleaming figure. It beckoned the pixie-boy to it. Brom rose to his feet and drifted toward the figure.

"Legolas, where is Brom? We are going to be leaving soon," Aragorn asked as he pushed a piece of _lemba_ past Arwen's cracked, dull lips.

"You mean he isn't back?" The elf asked, looking concerned. Gimli leaned on his axe looking puzzled.

"Back? You mean he left?"

"I tried to comfort the boy, but I misspoke and he became angry and fled away. I thought he had only strayed to the edge, but now I truly do fear he has ventured inside Fangorn Forest," 

Aragorn waited for no more. He sped away from the two, leaving an unbound Arwen spread on the ground. Aragorn ignored the cries of his friends and pushed deep into the forest, unsheathing his sword, Anduril. He found the boy's tracks easily enough as Brom had obviously sped into the woods caring little about hiding for himself. 

Then he heard it, a soft sobbing. He raced faster and then came to a stop next to a babbling brook. There on top of a hill, crowned in sunlight, was a figure in white, and kneeling front of him was a sobbing silver boy.

"Brom Boromir!" Aragorn bellowed , as talons of white anger gripped his heart. He would not see this man, who he guessed was Saruman, hurt the boy any more! Aragorn leapt forward, and rushed up the hill to confront the sorcerer. Brom shouted something but the white figure drew his own sword and it clashed with Anduril.

Aragorn knew the sword. It was Glamdring.

The Ranger followed the blade of the sword, up to the two aged hands that clutched the hilt of the elvish weapon and then up, up to two smiling eyes he once thought were a deep grey, but now were a smoky silver.

"Hello, Aragorn, Son of Arathorn, do you know me now?" Asked the warm voice that had haunted the Ranger's dreams since Moiria. Anduril fell from his numb fingers.

"Gandalf," Aragorn breathed, tears welling up in his eyes. Brom was now between them.

"I tried to tell you, Aragorn, but you pushed me aside," Those innocent eyes were hard again. Aragorn didn't care. He had feared the worst of the pixie-boy and now with the return of Gandalf, truly no words could explain the Ranger's joy. 

"Brom! Gandalf's alive, and you're okay!" Before Brom could make a remark, Aragorn lifted him up around his waist and spun him in a circle in the air.

Brom couldn't help himself. He laughed. He laughed as he had never laughed before. Then the Ranger's arm's gave out and Brom dropped to Aragorn's chest, tucking himself into a ball and wrapping his arms around Aragorn's shoulders.

"Brom, forgive me, I got so wrapped up in Arwen I forgot about you," Aragorn said softly, his voice echoing in his chest, as he wrapped his arms protectively around the boy. "I won't forget you again," 

" I'm sorry too, Aragorn, I have wrapped myself in pity and sorrow and forgot to live, and that's what Father wanted me to do," Brom murmured. Gandalf stood to the side. Smiling and leaning on his staff, Glamdring sheathed.

" Fits of love, Aragorn? Do you miss your elven love so?" He chuckled but the haunted look that danced in Aragorn's and Brom's eyes made that joyful sound die in his throat. Then came a shout.

"Aragorn! Brom! Come look! Tracks, we've found hobbit tracks!" Cried Legolas who was by the banks of the brook. Gimli was huffing and puffing, dragging a soundly bound Arwen on their make-shift sled. 

Aragorn let go of Brom and bent down, picking up Anduril, and swiftly descended the hill, Brom hopping behind him. When he reached Legolas he crushed the elf in a hug and then spun him around to show him Gandalf. The elf and the dwarf made choking sounds deep in their throats and then with shouts of joy embraced the old man.

"Now," Gandalf grinned, "What's this about hobbit tracks,"


	6. A Traitor Revealed!

**__**

A traitor revealed

"Red, stop, you'll only hurt yourself more." Bremen implored as the Rover rammed all his weight into the wooden door, the only exit to their marble tomb. It was a cramped room with no windows or furniture save piles of straw. The only extra features were the tiny vents in ceiling to allow air flow (though it didn't help much* and the swinging slot their food was pushed through. Redden Alt Mer gave one final charge which too failed. Exhausted and beyond anger, the rover took the druid's advice and collapsed with his back against the solid door.

For long moments silence cloaked the room and Red looked up and found Bremen's green eyes. Those aged eyes were tired and weary, heavy with worry and sick with hopelessness. Yet, they reflected more strength than the rover or the mute seeress in the corner. Finally, Red broke the silence, speaking aloud; "I wonder how Allanon's fairing. He, Tay, Risca, Brom and little Meia," Bremen chuckled, and the room seemed to grow slightly brighter. He waggled a long finger at Red.

"I know she wouldn't be too pleased to hear you calling her a child, especially with Brom in the same sentence," Red chuckled thinking of the young girl with her blue-grey eyes flashing in anger. He could see her with her hands defiantly on her hips, demanding that he take the phrase back. 

Ryer Ord Star said nothing. She merely watched them from behind blank violet eyes. She no longer seemed nervous since coming to Middle-Earth, but something was amiss. She had not uttered one word since coming to this alien place. Bremen and Red had long given up trying to get her to speak. Both were convinced she would speak when she needed too.

Then they heard it. The echoing of footsteps on marble. Red leapt to his feet and prepared himself to jump the coming guard should he open the door. Bremen's senses were on fire. His hair was standing on end. This was no ordinary guard.

"Red, get back. This is not our opportunity, stand down,"

Something rippled across Red's senses and he understood what the druid said. He jumped back and placed his large body in front of Star's sensual frame as she smoothly rose from her spot on the ground.

The sound of jangling keys made everyone's nerves jump. Finally the steps came to a halt and there was a loud **click **as the keys were turned in the lock. The wooden door swung open with a creak and there stood Rimmer Dal.

Red snarled, wishing he could leap forward and rip off the First Seeker's smirk, but knew he wouldn't get close enough to breath on his skin before Dal blew him away. 

"Are we comfy, my most celebrated guests? I would move you to new quarters but I'm afraid all the rooms are full," No one answered and the Rimmer Dal's teasing smirk turned to a look of boredom. "Come on, Ryer, I have more work for you," The pale seeress looked over the rover's shoulder with dark dancing eyes. She slid past Red's body but he grabbed her slender arm.

"No, Star, you don't mean your part of his-that you're, you're not!"

She jerked away from the rover and spat in his face.

"I'm not what, Redden? I don't have the heart to turn on you, is that what your trying to say? Well, wake **UP!**" She struck him across the face. " You think bringing you here was an accident? You think your muddle-headed Meia brought you here? Well, you'd be wrong?"

Dal stepped forward and took Ryer Ord Star's arm. He then stepped toward the door, bringing her with him.

"You seven were outwitted from the start." He wrapped an arm around Ryer's middle; "My little mink tricked Meia into using her powers, leading you all here. I used her shadowen as a window and followed. It was all so deceivingly simple," Dal cackled.

Red trembled with anger as Bremen asked in a quiet voice, "Why here, Dal?"

"Why indeed," Dal sneered, "You're a druid, Bremen. You figure it out." And with that Dal and Ryer Ord Star left, slamming the door behind them, leaving only anger and the echoes of their laughter.

A/N **I LIVE**! After ~counts on fingers~ a really long time, I've added to book2. I've had a horrible writer's block, plus I'm moving, plus Fanfic.net has been having troubles. I'll try and update as soon as possible. I'm gonna work on finishing book 2 and 3 before going back to Return to Middle Earth but I doubt I'll keep that promise. Tell me what you think and any ideas or suggestions you have!


	7. A shadowen's past

**__**

A shadowen's Past

"Careful, Lady," Samwise said as Meia slipped on some loose gravel. The land had become nothing but rocks and cliffs and gravel. Water pooled in crevices from the rain, but didn't flow so they were reluctant to drink. Frodo walked beside his human love, his blue eyes flickering more than once to her already swelling belly despite the lack of time that had passed since the conception. Sam worried for both his master and Meia so he slowed his pace to walk beside her.

"Lady, may I ask you something?" 

"Of course, Sam, you may ask me anything you like," She smiled. Sam swallowed, knowing that the baby wasn't any of his business, but he had to know.

"Lady, did Gandalf tell you anything unnatural about the baby?" She gave him a surprised look, "I only mean that the signs of your condition are showing more rapidly than I would have guessed for a human," They continued to walk in silence for just a moment and Sam feared that he had spoken out of line until she smiled.

"No, your right, Sam," Meia answered, a blissful look on her features. "The baby is developing at a much faster rate than any human, elf, or halfling baby would. He says it's because of the magic in her. Magic from the 'Lorien and, " She paused deciding whether she should say what was on the tip of her tongue, " and the Ring,"

Frodo looked at her startled, "What does that mean?" Meia shook her head.

"My dearest Frodo, if only I knew. All I know is this baby is coming faster and sooner than any of us could predict," 

Frodo gripped Meia's hand, "Not too fast, I pray,"

Sam nodded, "Indeed, Mr. Frodo, it will be hard work to get inside Mordor unnoticed with a caterwauling child," Sam then went very red and dipped his curly head at Meia, "No offence meant, Lady. I'm excited about the child, too, I just-"

Meia smiled again and took the gardener's hand and squeezed it, "My baby and I couldn't be in safer hands than yours Samwise Gamgee,"

* * *

"Where are we going?" Pippin panted as he and Merry tried to keep with the shadowen's tiredless stride. They had gone deep in Fangorn forest, barely stopping or resting. It was morning now, though you could only tell from the breaks in tree that allowed shafts of golden light down. 

"We are going as far away from those orcs as we can, Peregrine Took, so please keep up,"

Merry planted his feet and stooped down, placing his hands on his knees, "Marching with you is worse than orcs," He wheezed. Rash turned his red eyes keenly bright in the shadowy woods. Merry straightened and continued, "Please, Rash, we are exhausted and tired. Can't we rest just for a couple of moments, over there by the stream perhaps," He pointed to the small stream they had been following. Their water skins were running low and they had traveled far into the forest. The shadowen gave in.

"Very well, but only for a moment, if we don't continue-" But Merry and Pippin were already gone, bolting to the pretty stream. Rash sighed and made his way over to the stream in his slow slinking manner. The halfings nearly drowned themselves, drinking up the water, and then filled their water skins. Rash watched them a sort of merriment welling in his heart at their expressive antics. The halflings were open-books in their actions, had they no need to hide themselves in their land?

Rash sat in the shade of a large tree. A shaft sunlight streamed through the leaves, blurring the Shadowen's outline in the dappled pattern. Merry and Pippin finally had their fill and sat back resting their wooly feet and drank in the sights and sounds of the forest. 

After long moments of a peaceful filling silence, Pippin turned toward Rash.

'Master Rash, where are you from?"

Rash narrowed his eyes to glittering red slits at the young halfling, "Why should I tell you anything?" Merry shifted uncomfortably next to his cousin but Pippin didn't back down.

"Because, you're one of us, a good guy," He turned to the shadowen, his hazel eyes full of questions. "Besides you know all about us, it's only fair,"

"Fair?" Rash scoffed, "Do you call listening to your entire history without your consent through some else's ears fair?"

"We can't help it that you were inside Lady Meia at the time," Merry shot back, trying help his cousin. The dark creature intrigued him himself.

"Please, Master Rash, we won't tell anyone,"

Please, Master Rash, please!" The hobbits chorused and pleaded until gave in.

"Alright, alright!" He spat, "Just stop calling me, 'master!'"

The two nodded and scooted closer to the shade of the great tree and peered into the shadows were Rash glared at them.

"My name hasn't always been, Rash," He growled, "I was human once, like Meia. Until I ran into Rimmer Dal. He promised me power beyond my wildest dreams if I do one simple thing: kill Quickening," The two small halflings watched with a glowing interest, Their eyes shining. "Quickening, as you should know, was Brom's mother. She was the most powerful vessel of magic the Four Lands had ever seen and if she fought Brona, then it was over for Rimmer Dal's plan to rule."

"What was your name?" Pippin asked, interrupting Rash. The shadowen exhaled sharply through his nose. 

"Pe Ell, my name was Pe Ell. Now can you refrain from interrupting me? As I was saying, I was to kill her, so I joined Meia and Allanon's little party. The party consisted of Meia, Allanon, another druid and Brom's father, Walker Boh, Quickening and a young elven princess, Ester Shannara. The others you know Bremen, Tay, Risca, Red, and Ryer were working on a different quest, to recover the missing Elfstones.

I finally found my chance when we entered Devil's Pass. A demon had been placed there risen by Brona himself to stop us. We had to defeat him to pass. Meia, being the little she can be, decided to try and write a passage and make the task simple. She failed as usual. She forgot to make the monster weak. While Allanon was battling the monster, in an arm-wrestling match, I attacked. I knocked out both Meia and the little princess and grabbed Brom. He was the most pathetic thing the magic world had created. He had no power to touch the Sword of Shannara, let alone call forth its magic. I told Quickening and Walker to save their son they had to die. They did in a way had not anticipated and spelled my doom. Holding hands they jumped off the cliff. Quickening being a being of the Earth and magic, her body was absorbed into the stony earth. Walker's death was a bit messier. Brom absorbed their magic. The sword of Shannara, which was wielded by Ester, jumped into his hands and he seemed to glow with the radiance of an archangel. The child cut me down, the magic of the sword showing me what scum I truly was. Then he sprang to the demon that Allanon had been battling, and was losing from shock of recent events, and killed the demon. It erupted with the smell of sulfur and ash. 

They left me there to die and Rimmer Dal paid me a visit that night. I thought he would pleased. I had done my job. Quickening was dead. I was wrong. Now the First Seeker had Brom to deal with and he was more powerful than his mother and father. My wounds were still riddled with magic from the sword and Rimmer Dal gave me my punishment. He decayed the magic and it turned on my body like a disease, when it was over I was a shadowen. He decided to lie low and see how much of Brom's power had truly awakened. He waited till Brona was destroyed and then when Meia and were returning to Paranor, he sprang me. I infested her body and the rest is history."

Again silence filled the forest as Rash's story ended. The two hobbits watched him with curious eyes and then Merry spoke.

"Why did you turn good, Rash?" The shadowen studied him and then answered, "Jealousy,"

"Jealousy?" Pippin asked and Rash sighed.

"For creatures who have never lost their skins you wouldn't understand. When Meia awoke in the 'Lorien I was transformed by its beauty. I wanted to walk though it on my feet, taste the wind on my tongue, breathe the flowers through my longs, and see the Lady Galadriel's beauty through my eyes,"

"Now you sound like Gimli," Merry teased. Rash chuckled, a deep earthy sound.

"Ah, but the dwarf is right isn't he?" Rash drifted off into silence and turned his eyes to the soft gurgling stream. It was no wonder Meia fell in love with soft creatures. They were honest and open beyond man. It was also the first time anyone asked about his past, tried to get to know him. It made him feel glad, but venerable at the same time. He wasn't sure if he liked it.

"Rash,"

The shadowen focused his eyes back on Pippin. The young hobbit was trembling and he slowly raised a finger to the top of tree. Rash darted from underneath it and looked up. A prick of fear touched his spine. The tree had a face, had eyes, and it was watching them.


	8. The Awakening of a Princess

**__**

The Awakening of a Princess

"I don't why she's still here," The nurse said looking at the bed. 

Lying in it as she had for nearly half a year now was the young girl they had found. It was amazing the way she looked, like the only daughter Lord Denathor had, Thorn. But the young princess had died nearly eleven years ago on her tenth birthday and the strange girl was definitely elven. Even with all the healing abilities of the Healing House, the girl would not wake up. All she had was a bag of strange blue stones on her hip and the strange emblem that was similar to Gondor's, a crowned oak tree, on a medallion on around her throat. Denathor visited the girl every day in the morning, at noon, and right before he retired. The nurse * I have no idea what else you would call them* bent down and took the young girl's vitals. She was alive and perfectly healthy, but would not wake up. The nurse took note of the girl's stronger heartbeat and more vibrant colored skin and when she looked down at the girl she gasped. The girl was looking right back at her with steely grey eyes.

"Someone get Lord Denathor! The girl's awake!!" She cried 

and knelt down next to the girl as several people scattered. "Hello, child, how are you ?" The young girl rubbed her eyes sleepily and looked at the woman.

"I'm a little hungry," She murmured, with a smile on her pink lips. The woman nodded.

"We can fix that right away. Can you tell me your name?" The girl answered as at that moment the door opened and Denathor rushed in, looking disheveled and worried. Everyone in the room bowed lowed as the aged ruler came to the bedside, tears in his own grey eyes. 

"My Lord," The nurse said as she bowed low and then rose to gesture to the young elvish girl, "May I present the Princess Ester Shannara."

* * *

(A/N ** = speaking elvish)

"Is Theoden a good king?" Brom asked Gandalf as they rode to Rohan. The white wizard looked at the silver boy and smiled.

"Yes, Brom, Theoden is a very good king, 

but he doesn't have a very good judge of character. Speaking of Rohan, I have a very special job for you," The pixie-boy's eyes lit up with excitement. "I need you guard Lady Arwen. I won't take her before the King yet, she could be used against us. " Brom nearly frowned but caught the look in Gandalf's silver eyes.

"Yes sir," Brom said blandly. Aragorn turned in his saddle and looked at Legolas. Gandalf leaned over and ruffled the child's gleaming hair.

"There's a good lad,"

** Why won't he mind me that well?** He asked and the Mirkwood prince chucked.

**Because you are his father,**

Then Brom turned in his saddle and looked back at Aragorn, **You also can't do magic like Gandalf can** Aragorn's jaw dropped.

"You speak elvish!?" He sputtered. Brom smiled his black eyes glittering.

"Sure, my father, Walker Boh, taught me a long time ago because there's elvish blood on his side, and the languages are the same here," Aragorn stared at the silver boy for long, dumbstruck moments as the rest of the company laughed, save Arwen who was draped across Gandalf's horse. The elvish Princess had only grown worse despite the wizard's care. She looked more and more like a corpse everyday. Nearly all of her black shining hair was gone and her skin was riddled with black scalely patches. The only thing that remained recognizable was her eyes. They shone with recognition and love at the company around her.

"Gandalf, how do we save her? Is that why were going to Theoden? Does he know how to save her?"

"Given up on Mercy-Slaying, halfling?" Gandalf asked with a twinkle in his eyes. Brom went pink in the face.

"You heard about that?" The wizard nodded and Brom squirmed in his saddle. "I know now that mercy is not a sign of weakness, but of strength and love. Aragorn taught me that." The silver haired buy turned again and smiled at the ranger. There was peace in the silver boy's eyes and it made Aragorn smile as well. He nudged his horse up beside Brom's and rode beside the silver halfling. Brom reached over and took the ranger's large brown hand in his small pale one and turned his glittering eyes to Aragorn's.

"I hope we find a cure for her, she'd be my mother, right?" Aragorn's throat tightened at the blunt question and then he nodded.

"Yes, after we cure her and this is all over, we'd married and she's be your mother,"

The rest of the journey was traveled in a merry silence despite all the wrong surrounding the group. Gandalf had examined the hobbit tracks they had found in Fangorn forest and told them that Merry and Pippin were safe and that they had to travel to the land of Rohan. 

But they found a great surprise when they reached the city's gates. There camped out at the edge were three men, one elf, one dwarf, and one druid.

"Allanon!" Gandalf greeted and sped his mount, Shadowfax, forward. The druid leapt to his feet and clasped hands with the dismounting wizard.

"Druid, what are you doing here?" Aragorn asked as Allanon surveyed Arwen. Tay answered.

"We remembered we couldn't back through the mines of Moria and we tried to heed back to where you were so we could track and join you, but we became lost. The king here is weary of strangers and wouldn't permit us an audience, so here we are." Brom dismounted nimbly and hugged the elf and dwarf, then he went over to Allanon who laid Arwen on the ground and unbound her.

"Can you help her?" Brom asked softly and the large man shook his head. 

"She is too far gone, the shadowen is killing her body. She won't last another day," And with that Allanon unsheathed the elvish blade Galadriel had given him. He brought it down swiftly to plunge the blade into Arwen's heart. Aragorn gave a strangled cry, but was too far away to reach her, but bound forward anyway to kill the druid in revenge if not anything else. 

****

CLANG!!

Elvish blade met magic blade as Brom unsheathed the sword of Shannara. Allanon looked surprised as he found the anger welling in the pixie-boy's black eyes.

"**Don't touch her**!" Brom shouted and a sudden burst of power from the boy sent Allanon flying back several feet. Allanon tucked and rolled, and landed safely on his feet.

"Brom, are you mad! That is a shad-"

"She is the lady Arwen and you'll not touch her!" Aragorn snapped, standing in front of Brom and the shadowen infested elf. Allanon's jaw dropped in disbelief.

"Aragorn, I'm sorry about your ladylove, but she is too far gone, the shadowen will take over any hour,"

"I don't care! I will save her!"

"You can't!"

_"Brom_,"

The boy turned at the whispery voice. He saw Arwen staring at him. She smiled slightly, but the very effort made the skin around her lips crack and bleed.

"_You can save me, give me your hand_," Eager to do anything to help, the silver boy extended his hand to the elf's. The motion caught Tay's attention.

"Brom, what are you, **_BROM! DONT TOUCH HER!!!" _**Aragorn and Allanon turned as Brom's hand grasped Arwen's. There was a bright flash that enveloped Arwen and Brom. Everyone shielded their eyes and when Gandalf lowered his arm there kneeled Brom who held the hand of a small elvish child.

"Wwhat happened?" Brom stuttered, dropping the hand as the girl opened her depthless eyes. She looked at her creamy hands and then at the silvery boy.

"Oh, Brom, you saved me!!" She cried and flung her arms around his neck.


	9. A note to all those who wonder

Okay, I have noticed a lot of people have been asking me to update and I'm so sorry Ihaven't. I'm in a bit of a rut and can't really update. I moved about a couple months back and I am computerless save for here at the public library. I'm on a time limit so I really can't update. Some time in April though I should be getting to a computer and will finish these stories. It was very irresponsible of me for not posting, but nobody had been reviewing so I thought it didn't matter. Thank you for all your support and hopefully in a couple months I will be back on. So check my stuff again sometime after Easter!

Okay and just a quickie cause everyone's asking. Arwen and Brom.

He was told not to touch her cause Aragorn wass afraid she would hurt him. The  transformation was something I made up and most true Tolkien fans will probably flame me for. When an elf is deathly ill they can do two things, take an eternal sleep which they will only awaken on the shores of Valinor  or use the last of their energy to youthen and strengthen their bodies. Arwen did this with Bron's help and she is roughly his age :in elven years of course: I hope this helps and I can't wait to pick up from where I left off. Thanks!!!


	10. a short summary

Before them sat a small elvish girl no older than Brom. She stared at her hands on disbelief and then threw her arms around Brom. 

"You did it! I'm cured! You saved me!" She laughed happily.

The silver haired boy fidgeted , his face going pink.

"What did I do? Where is the shadowen? What happened?"

"A shadowen can never live in a place of light and purity and that is exactly what an elven child's heart is. You helped Arwen transform into a child again and destroy the shadowen," Gandalf said with tears welling in his smokey eyes. Everyone was relived and amazed. The only who seemed saddened by Arwen's transformation was Aragorn. 

As everyone ooohed and ahhed over the dark child, he took the Ranger aside.

"You have lost much, Ranger and now I must tell you, Arwen will not see you as you see her," He said reluctantly, "She is a child, and her love for you has not matured. She will see you as a father figure, a protector and friend. Not as a lover and life companion. She may even change her mind about leaving this earth,"

Aragorn nodded, "I understand, Gandalf, but I would wait a hundred years over again to have her love, I shall wait. If I must be a friend and protecter I shall,"

Gandalf nodded, "That's quite an armful, Aragorn, young Brom and now Arwen, are you sure I you manage?"

Aragorn looked at the wizard in confusion, "I have slaughtered orcs and fought off shadowen, how hard can two children be?"

Mithrandir merely smiled in his all-knowing way and walked back to the others.

"Lady, you must sleep," Sam said softly as the moon rode high over head. They were still caught in the gap of the mountains. Mt Doom burned steadly but they were no closer than they were several weeks ago. Frodo was growing steadily weaker as the ring dragged his very soul through the ground it seemed.

Meia was no better. She grew rounder and fuller every day it seemed, but she would not give up. She gave everything she had to keep up and help Sam with her ill love.

But now was the time to rest and she couldn't. She just couldn't shut her eyes.

"lady,"

Meia looked over at the concerned hobbit and smiled, "I'm sorry, Sam, I can't sleep," She said softly. She reached over and brushed Frodo's curls as he slept. "Its seems I live to see him sleep, it's the only time he looks peaceful,"

"Just make sure you don't wake him, its harder for him to go to sleep than you," the hobbit said firmly and Meia smiled, drawing back her hand. She loved when Sam was protective of Frodo. Perhaps because it just showed there was some love in the world. 

Meia wrapped her self in her cloak, wondering about how everyone was faring. She wondered where the others had gone. Would Allanon, Tay, Ryer, Risca, Big Red, and Bremen all leave back for the Four Lands given first chance? Meia knew she would not. Her story may have began in Paranor, but she would end her story in Shire, preferably Bag End. 

`She had heard Sam and Frodo talk about it all the time, and Meia truly hoped to go there, but there was something else that nagged on her mind. 

Here she was, heavy with child, surely to drop the baby any time it seemed, and Frodo had not spoken once about what was to become of them.

She knew she could not ask such a selfish thing as Frodo's very being hung in the balance, but she had to wonder. When this child was born, would he want it, would he want her, would they marry, did hobbits marry? 

Hundreds of questions flew through her mind like a snowy flurry. They were brought together due to impossible odds, out of desprete emotion and perhaps a touch of fate. When it was all over and they were free of their duties, would he still want her?

The questions seemed to land on her eyelids, making hem heavy with every thought and soon she dozed off.

Bremen sighed as he and Big Red sat contemplating their fate. What could they do? Rivendell ransacked by Shadowen, how could they get out? Then their lock jiggled and it wiggled and then unlocked with a click. 

Blue fire gather in Bremen's hand as Big Red curled his fists as the door swung open, but it was not a shadowen that greeted them but a small white haired Bilbo Baggins.

"I wasn't number fourteen for nothing," He smiled and threw both men a pair of elvish blades. "Come on, if its one thing, its never leave things to luck. We have to go, now!"

The two men followed the small hobbit as he lead them through winding passages and it was then they realized that it was noon where the sun was at it brightest.

"Even Meia had to hide at noon in some sort of shade," Red said in amazement.

"Yes, I learned that from watching them, as long as we stay out of the shadows they can't touch us," Bilbo said, when a shadow stepped in front of them.

"I wouldn't count on that," Said a shadowen taken elf and Bilbo shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Lithe," and with a swipe he cut the elf down with his blade. The body exploded and Bilbo hurried on, tears welling in his eyes. Better to die and be free than to live eternally shackled to darkness, he reminded himself as they killed any who prevented the three's escape.

"What about their lord?" Bremen asked and Bilbo said, "I freed Lord Elrond two days ago, he is safe, and gathering reinforcements to win Rivendell back,"

Finally they escaped and ran deep into the forest until their legs seized up and their lungs burned for oxygen. Bilbo sat heavily on the ground, smiling and sweating,, "Well, it seems there's some life in this old burgler yet," He said between gasping breaths and Red and Bremen chuckled.

They rested only a moment and then walked on at a slow but steady pace. 

"Where are we heading, Master Burgler?" Red asked humorously and Bilbo shook his head.

"If I only knew," He said ," Elrond merely told me to head south to the Nimrodel River, I do not anything else," 

So together the druid, rover, and hobbit marched steadily south, curious where their destination would be.

"Thorn looked very nuch like you," Denathor smiled would say to Ester, nearly every time they spoke to one another.. The people said the small elvish girl was a miracle. She seemed to bring the king out of his body and back into the world of men. So many years of war and death had taken their toll on the king but this girl seemed to wipe all this clean. Even the King's son, Farimir noticed. What magic did this Ester Shannara hold? And what was the secret to the stones she would not let anyone see or touch? Farimir did not trust Ester. He belived she was a spy for Saruman.

"Lady Ester,"

The elvish princess turned at the deep voice of Captain Farimir and smiled. She thought he was very handsome and felt her heart flutter in her chest as he approached her.

"Yes, Captain?" She asked softly, giving a deep curtsy.

"I have heard tell you know of the new demons we are fighting," He said, "I would very much like to learn more about them,"

"Of course, Captain," She blushed, "I know much of them. When would you like to discuss it?"

"My squadron and I are leaving to potrole the borders of our land. Perhaps you could accompany me and share your skills with my men, so we can fight this new devil,"

"I-I would love to, thank you, Captain, shall I tell the King?"

"No," Faramir said, "Just met me by the gate one hour before dawn, the King won't mind," Ester smiled happily and gave another deep curtsy. Only the enemy could know as much as you say you do, Faramir though bitterly. I will make sure you poison my father no more!

Ester watched the Ranger captain walk away, her heart in her throat. In the Four Lands, she was never any use. No one ever put her danger, no one ever cared what she thought.

"Finally," Ester said softly, "a man who sees me a I really am,"


End file.
